Criminals 'let off' over sentences

3:25am Saturday 30th August 2008

More than 60 judges have given "unduly lenient" sentences to offenders convicted of some of the most serious crimes, according to new figures.

The Court of Appeal ruled 62 judges across England and Wales let off criminals, including terrorists, murderers and rapists, with light sentences.

The Attorney General Baroness Scotland QC referred 106 criminals to more senior judges last year to seek tougher sentences.

Among them were high-profile cases involving robbery gangs, drug smugglers, paedophiles and terrorists linked to al Qaida.

Of these 86 individuals were ruled to have been given "unduly lenient" punishments, with 75 handed harsher terms.

Sentences were increased in 12 sex cases, 15 violence cases, 17 robbery cases, 11 drugs cases and one murder.

The number of Court of Appeal referrals fell by 38 and the number declared unduly lenient fell by 27 when compared with 2006.

The cases form a tiny proportion of some 120,000 offenders dealt with in Crown Courts last year.

The power to challenge a judge's sentence was introduced in the 1988 Criminal Justice Act. Prosecutors, victims, MPs, pressure groups or members of the public can ask the Attorney General to refer a case within 28 days of sentence.

Sir Igor Judge, president of the Queen's Bench Division, said the statistics show the "system is working as intended".

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